Mating Games
by fantasyfun0311
Summary: Castiel hates Melody. Hates. Her. At least, that's what she thinks until one simple case involving two nights alone with him under the guise of being married changes everything. Well, mostly everything. (Castiel/OC) (AU) (Flirt, sexy, funny)
1. Chapter 1

We met in the middle of a fucked up situation.

I wasn't expecting him, well _them_ , and they certainly weren't expecting to find me either. In the center of a vampire nest, covered in my brother's blood, sobbing and babbling incoherently. Dean had spoken first, patting me on the shoulder. Out of reflex, I'd swung the machete at him, but when Sam wrapped his strong arms around me, I'd quit my fighting.

" _Strong little hellion," Dean called me._

 _The third man with them remained silent, his crystal blue eyes appraising me like I was a lifeform all my own. I wriggled against Sam's hold and pushed my wavy hair out of my face._

" _I'm fine," I said softly._

 _Dean looked at the carnage around us and raised an eyebrow at me._

" _You do this all on your own, kid?"_

 _I snorted._

" _I'm twenty-four, dude. Ain't been a kid for a long time."_

" _Answer the question."_

" _Yes. The man's head at your feet belongs to my brother," I told him drolly. He kicked it away from him with a grimace and motioned towards the dead nest._

" _How'd you do it all by yourself? No offense, but you're...not exactly the biggest chick I've ever come across," Dean said with a grin._

 _He was gorgeous, sure. So was Sam._

 _Shit, so was trenchcoat dude who was still staring at me._

" _You guys think we could talk about this where the smell of blood isn't threatenin' to make me puke?," I asked quietly. Sam seemed to snap out of his awe first, because he nodded and pointed towards the door._

" _Sure, come on."_

And from then on, we were inseparable.

Dean was the older brother I no longer had; which believe me, was a far more amazing thing than I ever realized I needed. Sam was my best friend and confidant, and Castiel? Well, we circled each other like two fighters in the ring. I wasn't sure how to take him, and to him I was the biggest mystery since sliced bread.

 _I wanted him._

 _I wanted him, bad._

Sam made fun of me in private, which always rankled, but hell. I was only _one_ female, and Castiel was ten kinds of sexy. Half of the time we spent together consisted of either painfully awkward staring, or both of us arguing over something that didn't need to be argued about. Dean told me it was because Castiel didn't know what to make of me, like I was some kind of relic he'd never encountered before. But I knew better.

 _Cas can't stand me._

 _He absolutely hates me, and hatred is against his nature._

Every time he entered a room I was in, he left immediately after. Every time we had to travel together for a case, he bitched the whole time, trying to make Sam and Dean leave him behind for some other job.

It hurt my feelings entirely too much, and the boys definitely made up for it.

They were the best friends I could have ever had, and if they could deal with me when I was going through what I went through after I had to kill my only family, then I could deal with anything they threw at me.

 _I was crazy for months after that._

 _Dean was pretty sure I was the one that flew over the cuckoo's nest._

Like now, when both of them were trying to convince me that I had to pretend I was married to Castiel for the sake of the case.

"You know that fucker hates me! Why would I pretend to be _married_ to him? All weekend for that matter!," I argued. Sam rolled his eyes and dropped his head back in frustration.

"Listen,sugar. We need you to do this. We _need_ to get in there and kill that ghost. The only way we're gettin' through that security is if you two get in first. It's invitation only," Dean said calmly.

 _He's always so patient with me._

"I want your Zepplin shirt."

His brow furrowed and his mouth dropped open.

"Hell no! It's signed," He told me.

I crossed my arms across my chest and smirked.

"Cas is the last dude I'd wanna marry; he can't stand to be in the same room with me for longer than five minutes. You really expect me to stay in a hotel room with him, _alone_ , for two nights in a row? I want somethin' to sweeten the deal, _sugar._ "

Dean scoffed and Sam began to laugh, shaking his head.

Dean glared at him.

"Dude, you taught her the art of negotiation. This is all you," Sam said cheerfully, winking at me when Dean groaned.

"I'll give you permission to wear it whenever you want, but you _can't_ keep it!," He bartered. I cocked my head to the side and held out my hand.

"Deal."

When he looked at my hand like it was covered in snot, I shrugged.

"What? You wanna kiss on it? You ain't a demon anymore, Dean...,"

He barked out a laugh and shook my hand, before he pulled me onto the floor between him and Sam and began to torture me by tickling me.

"No! I said I'd do it!," I yelled, trying to catch a breath between giggles.

"Say I'm the best!," Dean demanded. I squealed as Sam got a hold of my little feet.

"Dean! I am a grown ass woman! Let me go!," I said through a fit of laughter.. The grins on both of their faces made my torture worth it, and I was instantly grateful for both of them. After everything we'd been through together; all the fights, the cases, the blood and pain. Everything was worth it, and if there _was_ still a God out there...well I could thank him for sending me these two idjits.

A flutter of wings ruined the moment.

 _Speak of the devil, and he shall appear..._

I watched Castiel take in the sight before him; Me lying on my back with one leg stretched out of my reach with the attached foot tucked into Sam's big hand. Dean with his hands wrapped around my waist and one of my hands stuck to the side of his face, covering his mouth.

All at once we moved away from each other to stand in more dignified positions, with me fixing my wild hair and Dean adjusting his shirt.

"This is not what I expected to find," Castiel said. I rolled my eyes, a terrible habit I'd picked up from Sam that drove Dean _insane_ , and headed for the kitchen.

"Let me know how this one goes, boys. I'll be cuddlin' in my new shirt!," I said excitedly.

"That's my shirt, sugar, and don't you forget it!," Dean called after me.

 _He sure does love me, sharin' his favorite t-shirt._

I stopped walking when I heard Castiel start to speak.

"I simply cannot agree to this preposterous idea," Castiel said.

"Come on, what do ya got against her anyways? She ain't ever done us , or _you_ wrong," Sam said casually.

As I peeked around the corner, I saw Dean nod in agreement.

"We are not suited to one another's tastes."

"Well hell, Cas, what does her _taste_ have to do with it?," Dean asked.

I fought the urge to slam my palm against my face.

"He means they don't get along, Dean. Get your mind out of the gutter for five minutes, would ya?," Sam scoffed.

Castiel tucked his hands into his pockets.

"I will do as you ask of me.

On one condition."

"I ain't got no more t-shirts I'm willin' to share!," Dean said with a frown. Castiel shook his head.

"If I agree to partake in this plan of yours for the next seventy-two hours, then I must insist you never ask me to work with her again."

 _That stings like a bitch._

 _Damn, that really hurts._

But I knew dean wouldn't agree.

Not _really._

I was a part of their team, and they needed me as much as we, (although I hated to admit it) needed Cas.

"Deal."

Just like that, my feelings were crushed.

"You sure you're okay? You're bein' too quiet," Dean asked me for the hundredth time in an hour. I sighed and swept my hair out of my face, tossing the heavy mass onto the top of my head in a messy bun.

"Do think I'm attractive?," I probed.

Dean's mouth dropped open and he resembled a fish out of water for a few seconds before he caught himself.

"Hey, I view you as-,"

"Answer the question, dude. Don't make it weird; if we were not in the life that we are, would you hit on me in a bar?"

His green eyes roamed over my body, and he nodded.

"'Course I would, what's this about? It ain't like you to be insecure about yourself," He said. I could hear the genuine curiosity in his voice and I felt stupid once more.

 _Cas just hates you._

 _He just does._

 _No rhyme or reason._

"No reason. We ready to get drivin'? If I have to put on that stupid dress for this gala tonight, I want to make sure I have time to actually look presentable," I mused.

Dean dropped a kiss to my forehead and headed inside, leaving me alone outside. I watched as the sun began to rise, and like it did every morning, the sunrise brought a smile to my face.

These days simple was all I had, and the sunrise was simply beautiful.

"Why are you smiling like that?," I heard beside me.

 _Cas has managed to catch you off guard again._

 _Just remember he basically requested to be kicked out of the rat pack because he can't stand you._

I cleared my throat and shrugged.

"This is the last time we have to work together, right? What else could make me smile so big?," I snapped, watching as he began to frown fiercely.

An indelicate sound slipped past my lips as I headed inside to grab my coat and blanket. All of my bags were already in the car.

"Yo, let's roll Scooby and Scrappy," I called, putting an apple into my mouth.

I heard muted replies and slipped on a sweatshirt, grateful for the added warmth to ward off the chills.

Sam came around the corner first and motioned towards Castiel.

"Take it easy on him today, alright?"

"Me? Take is easy on _him?_ Why in the hell would I do that?"

"Because, the last time you guys argued, you called him some pretty interesting names and he's _still_ bothering me about their exact definitions," Sam said, his tone particularly annoyed.

I giggled remembering that something along the lines of ' _ass hat, scrotum sucker, and salad tosser,'_ had been among the colorful few. Dean smacked my ass and sent me scurrying to the car, my giggles echoing around us.

"Alright Cas, you can get in the backseat, and you," He said pointing at me, "Be nice."

I stuck my tongue out and climbed into the back seat, snuggling into my corner of the car and glaring at Castiel as he scooted in next to me. His cold stare landed on me for only a moment before he had himself pressed against the farthest side of Baby he could.

"Dean, wake me up when we get there. I made an appointment to get my hair and makeup done."

Sam peeked at me from the front seat.

"Really?"

"Hey, I don't ever get to look like an actual _female._ I'm not gonna miss this opportunity."


	2. Chapter 2

A strong nudge in my shoulder had me jerking awake. I blinked a few times to clear my line of vision.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty. We've got t-minus- four hours to get this shindig on the road, and I ain't lookin' for any trouble," Dean said gruffly.

I nodded and got out of the car, stopping to stretch. My gaze caught Castiel's over the top of the car and I frowned.

"You got a tux for tonight, ass hat?," I asked.

I felt Sam pinch my arm.

"Ouch!"

"Be nice. He's got all he needs. Your appointment is in the salon inside the hotel, right?"

I nodded.

"Alright, you and Castiel need to go check in. You're newlyweds, remember that! Pretend like you two like each other for Christ's sake, and make it good. Sammy and I are gonna go park the car around the corner, and we'll meet you at your room," Dean said as he glared at the both of us.

"How exactly are you two gonna make it into our rooms? The security is off the charts here," I asked.

Dean rolled his eyes and clapped his hands together.

"Don't worry about it. Come on you two, get cozy."

I slipped my sweatshirt from my body and fluffed my hair before dabbing on some chapstick.

"Alright, do I look doe-eyed and in love?," I asked sarcastically, moving towards Castiel and wrapping an arm around his waist.

His blue eyes could have burned a hole through my soul, they were watching me so intensely. I sighed and ran a hand through his hair, making it stand on end.

"Ya gotta look properly fucked, Cas. Quit glarin' at me. I'm only tryin' to pass as married folk," I spat. He relaxed into my hold and nodded his head.

"Good, see? You two will get along just fine," Sam said with a smirk. I smiled.

"Mhm. Right. Come on, twinkle toes, let's get movin'," I said with a twist of my lips. He glared at me, and I squeezed his waist.

"After you, _sweetheart."_

He walked ahead of me, and I slipped my hand into his. He glanced back at me and I grinned. Surprisingly, his hold on me tightened when we entered the foyer. This hotel had to be the nicest I'd ever seen; the floors and walls were marble, surrounding by glittering chandeliers and plenty of eye candy. An intriguing man wearing a suit with the most gorgeous jawline I'd ever seen caught my eye, and Castiel had to jerk my arm for me to pay attention to what we were doing.

"A little more discretion, please. As far as everyone here is concerned, you are my _wife_ ," He hissed under his breath.

 _Damn, he's right._

"You're right. Sorry," I said as I pressed my body against his side and tucked myself under his neck. He wrapped his free arm around my waist and planted a smile on his face. It surprised me, the smile, because never since we'd met had he smiled at me.

 _Well, he isn't now...he's more like smiling near me._

"Hello, Welcome to the Luna Resort, are you checking in?"

The concierge smiled at us, and I looked up at Castiel through long lashes.

"We sure are! On our honeymoon," I said breathily.

I grabbed a handful of Castiel's ass and squeezed. I was hoping to get a shocked reaction out of him, but instead he surprised me when he dipped me in his strong grasp and kissed me like he'd been doing it for years.

His mouth moved over mine like we were old lovers, and the flame that lit inside of me was far hotter than I could have ever imagined.

"I've been tryin' to get this lady to say yes to me for years," He told the concierge as he righted our stance and pulled me in close. His blue eyes sparked with something unrecognizable, but before I could decipher it, he was smiling and taking our room key into his free hand. Once we rounded the corner that led us to our room, he moved away from me like I suffered from leprosy.

"Was the rough handling of my derriere necessary?," He scowled at me.

"Oh, please. Was that _Casanova_ kiss necessary?"

He didn't reply, so I scoffed.

"I don't get you. Why do you dislike me so much? I've never done anything to you!," I threw over my shoulder as I snatched the key from his hand and slid it into the door, sighing with relief when I saw that blinking green light.

I was only in the room for twenty seconds before I saw Dean's grinning face through the glass of the sliding doors that led to the balcony. Before Castiel could answer, I saw Sam's goofy grin as him and Dean proceeded to dance in front of the glass sliding doors, both of them pressing their denim clad asses against the glass. I rolled my eyes and chuckled, not surprised to hear the door behind me slam closed. With nothing but a peek in Castiel's direction, I headed for the doors, unlocking them and sliding them open.

"Don't ya need to head to your appointment?," Dean asked me. I slammed a palm against my forehead.

"Shit, yeah. I'm gonna have them charge it to the room, is that cool?"

Sam wrapped an arm around me and kissed my cheek.

"You were right earlier, Mel. You deserve a day to feel like a real woman. Do whatever you want, don't worry about the price."

I felt my lower lip quiver for a moment as my eyes met Castiel's. His blue eyes were sweeping over my face as if he was reading a map- intense, searching, determined.

I looked back at the two loves of my life, in a strictly platonic sense, and smiled.

"Be back later."

With nary but a nod of their heads, I stepped into the hallway, and headed down towards the elevator.

Apparently there was a ghost in our midst; a ghost who was luring people to their deaths by convincing them to jump off the roof of this hotel. So far we had no leads as to _how_ the crafty spirit was doing it. Wouldn't think a fine establishment like this could be haunted, but I've learned to expect the unexpected in every situation.

Tonight there was a ball happening- a _real_ life ball- and the only way we could get in was if we booked a room.

Getting a room here was harder than any of us wanted to admit, and being that it was a couples only ball- Sam and Dean were out. And since Castiel had no idea how to hunt a nasty spirit...that left us two to play husband and wife.

 _Joy, joy, joy to the motherfucking world._

The ball was themed, of course, and black tie.

 _Gag me._

 _The only 'black tie' events I attend generally involve Chip'n Dale dancers..._

When I stepped into the salon, three women turned towards me with smiles on their faces.

"Do you have an appointment?," The youngest of the three asked. I nodded.

"I do. Under the name Melody."

She smiled, nodding her perfectly coiffed blonde head, and I sighed with relief when she gestured for me to follow her back to a chair.

"Alright, do we have any idea what we're doing today?"

I cleared my throat before I shrugged.

"No idea. It's been a while."

She nodded, lifting a few stray strands of hair from my messy bun  
"How about we agree that you'll trust me, and I won't let you down?"

Her voice held all the sweetness you'd expect in a cupcake, so I just nodded.

"Perfect."

Hours later, I stood tugging at a dress that was far tighter than I'd thought I'd be wearing. The crimson material suited my personality better than I wanted to admit, and all three of the ladies that had greeted me with smiles hours ago were practically in tears- and I didn't blame them. I looked completely different- and decidedly more feminine- than I had upon entering this salon.

My dark hair now held three different shades of blonde. It was permed into a wildly wavy texture, which added volume and femininity to my usually flat and boring hair. At first, I hadn't been sure that's what I'd wanted- to look like a 'girly girl' when all I usually could afford to do was tie my hair back, throw on some worn out jeans, and tug on a t-shirt.

"You look breathtakin', Melody."

The oldest of the three women, Lana, was the sweetest southern belle I'd ever met. She came forward to tug at the beaded hem of my floor length gown.

I felt like I was in _Pretty Woman._

Celeste, the petite blonde who'd done my hair, brought to me two gorgeous ruby earrings.

"These match perfectly, and don't worry- they're CZ's. Not nearly as expensive as you'd imagine," She giggled. I smiled, turning to glance at myself in the mirror once she was done.

My mouth fell open.

For the first time in months I was wearing makeup- and not drugstore makeup either. My skin looked flawless, all my tiny freckles completely gone from view. My blue eyes were dialed up to ten, surrounded by thick black lashes and smokey neutral shadow. I wasn't one to wear red lipstick either, but the dark red shade that painted my lips was absolutely perfect for the ensemble.

And said ensemble, the dress- it was beautiful.

 _Gorgeous._

It was mermaid style (at least that's what Lana told me), and it draped over my skin tightly. Low cut and covered in shimmering beads, it sparkled no matter what direction I turned in. It spilt from the thigh to the floor, and trailed behind me when i took a step forward to look at myself more closely.

"Melody, honey, I hate to rush ya- but the ball is about to start," Caroline, the third musketeer said. I smiled at all of them and fluffed my now curly hair.

"Do I look okay?"

They all gushed, waving their hands at my insecurities.

"You look perfect, honey. Don't sweat it! Your man won't be able to keep his eyes _or_ his hands off ya!," Lana said with a wink. I blushed, I think, it had been so long- but my cheeks felt hot, and after blotting my lipstick, I turned, and headed towards the door.

"Thank you so much, for everything," I said sincerely.

They all hugged me, dabbed me with some expensive perfume that made me smell like sex on a stick, and pushed me towards the door.

Suddenly, I had butterflies- what if Cas hated it? What if he didn't even notice? Why did that matter?

I took a deep breath and pushed the doors to the salon open, taking a step out into the hallway. It was packed full of pompous couples wearing black tuxedos and gowns similar in taste to mine. I was wringing my hands in front of me, searching the crowded hallways, when I saw him.

 _Castiel._

My-God? He looked...

He was wearing a tuxedo, of course. His usually unruly hair was combed over to the side, swept off of his handsome face. He was fidgeting with his bow tie, looking around the room absently. I stiffened my stance, smiling his way.

He was _perfect._

When his blue eyes landed on mine, he froze. His head canted to the side, as if he was assessing me with every molecule in his body, and then he walked towards me. As he neared me, his expression changed again, similar to when he'd kissed me. Besides a nod of his head however, he didn't say a thing about my appearance.

"Sam and Dean are scouring the upper levels for clues. Let us proceed," He said softly, planting a hand on my lower back. I felt a jolt and I gasped, moving away from his lingering hand.

His blue eyes moved over me once more, but again, he didn't say anything.

"You're a real ladies man, ain't ya?," I sneered, taking his arm into my hand and nudging him forward. His brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"I just spent _four_ hours getting primped, pasted, and played with, Castiel. I'm wearing a dress that's so expensive I blocked the price from my memory, and I'm wearing fake eyelashes! My damn scalp is still tingling from the perm they gave me, and you have no comment on how I look?," I spat.

Again, his eyes moved over me, but before he could comment two bellhops opened the doors that led to the ballroom.

I sucked in a breath, a smile falling onto my red lips. I looked over at Cas, not caring one twit if he thought it was beautiful too, I was going to enjoy myself.

The ballroom was large, and from every crevice hung twinkling lights. It looked like we were in a constellation all our own. The lighting was soft and romantic. There was a live band playing, and everywhere I looked there were happy couples dancing and smiling. It hit me hard then, that I wished more than anything that I could be spending my _real_ honeymoon there.

With someone who could actually stand me.

Shit, even Sam or Dean would do.

"Let us sit," Castiel said.

I snorted.

"Seat yourself, _your highness._ I'm grabbin' myself a drink, and then I'm going to convince someone to dance with me, because you know what?"  
I turned to face him as I finished."

"I. Look. Amazing!," I said heatedly, every word punctuated by a sharp poke to his chest.

 _His very muscular chest._

His gaze darkened marginally, his nostrils flaring and his mouth pursing.

His grip on my arm tightened and I inhaled sharply as he pulled me into his chest.

"I forgot just how stubborn you can be. Very well, Melody. Fashion yourself a drink, and then we shall dance. I do hope you know how," He sneered, releasing me quickly and snagging himself a glass of champagne from a passing waiter's tray. I swallowed, glancing around the room, before I made my way towards what looked like an open bar.

For a moment I pondered Castiel's reaction, and the fact that he was extremely _unaffected_ by my make-over; which I loved.

I was just about to take my drink from the bartender when a warm hand landed on top of mine.

"You're absolutely ravishing," I heard. The english accent sent a shiver down my spine and I turned to see the eye-candy from earlier.

"Thank you," I breathed.

He nodded and led my hand to his mouth where he placed a gentle kiss.

"My name is Trent. It's lovely to meet you...?"

"Melody," I replied, smiling.

 _At least someone likes my makeover._

He dropped my hand and held his arm out towards me.

"Melody, I would be delighted if you would grace me with the honor of a dance-,"

"That won't be necessary. Please step away from my _wife,"_ I heard.

The gravel in Castiel's voice- now _that_ sent a shiver down my spine.

The anger I heard radiating from Castiel almost had me rolling my eyes, until I felt his hand wrap around my waist and yank me into his side. I turned to apologize to Trent, who was already gone.

"Was that really necessary?," I asked.

"We are supposed to be married! Why must you flirt with every man that happens to glance in your direction?," Castiel said angrily. I rolled my eyes and tossed my hair over my shoulder.

"First of all, that's the same man from earlier so stop acting like I've got hordes of men waiting to fuck me! And second, why do you _care?_ We're in, they all think we're married, boo hoo. He asked me to dance, that's it!," I whisper-screamed.

Castiel's eyes narrowed, and then he took a step closer to me.

"Do you have any inclination as to what the men in this room are thinking at this very moment Melody, when their eyes meet the image that you are?"

He'd whispered this to me, and for the life of myself I had no idea what to say.

"They want to peel that striking dress from your body, and place their mouths on your soft skin," Castiel said as he gently ran a knuckle across my cheek.

He placed a hand on my ass and tugged my body into his.

"They want to bury themselves inside of your tight little body, and consume you whole," Castiel murmured as his blue eyes burned through mine.

I wasn't exactly sure which was more shocking- the things he was saying, or the way his hand fit perfectly against the curve of my derriere.

"Cas-what-"

"Do you believe me to be ignorant of humans and their lustful ways? Remember, I had my time as a human. I _remember_ what lust it, and how it feels, Melody."

"Okay, but Cas, I don't know-"

"Don't play coy, Melody. If it's to be touched that you want, I'll touch you. If it's to be consumed whole, then I shall do that too. Keep in mind, however, that I've had many years to practice- do not mistake me for a fool. If you changed your appearance for me then I must tell you that I think you look absolutely mouthwatering- however, I would like it to be known that I enjoy you in your natural state too," He said fiercely.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

His blue eyes dropped to my mouth, and for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me.

Instead, he ran his thumb across my bottom lip, and looked into my eyes again.

"I have not been an angel again for very long, Melody. The idea of tasting your skin affects me more than you shall ever know- the temptation is absolutely maddening. Yet you are not like me- I will not make a connection with you if it is only temporary. All I ask of you is that you keep that information in the forefront of your mind before you let Trent Hemsworth of all creatures taste you instead."

If anything could make me speechless, that was it.

And speechless I was.


	3. Chapter 3

I'd only finished one drink when Castiel suggested we dance. It's supposed to be our honeymoon, he reasoned. I was still reeling from the things he'd said to me, but Castiel didn't seem the least bit affected by his honesty and the at it changed our relationship.

"I've not heard a word from Dean yet," He said to me as he pulled me into his arms.

"Give it a little more time. I actually like dancing," I joked. He almost quirked a smile at me, but he stifled it. Annoyed, I imitated his earlier gesture and ran my fingers across the swell of his mouth.

"Why won't you ever smile at me?"

His eyes were downcast for a moment too long when he finally answered me.

"Accepting a smile from you is one thing, Melody. But I do not deserve to smile in your direction, and that is the sad truth of the matter."

His words came out soft, tender even, and they confused me. My grip on his neck tightened and I frowned.

"We've known each other for years, Cas. I don't know why you dislike me so much.

Did I hurt you?," I asked him. His blue eyes held remorse as he slowly shook his head and placed a heavy palm on my lower back. In the distance I heard a soft tune begin to play; something poignant and melancholy. It tugged on the fractured edges of my lonely heart; against my better judgement I moved closer to Castiel and nudged his chin with the knuckle of the middle finger.

"You don't have to fall in love with me Cas, but don't you think we could be friends?"

I knew I sounded pathetic, begging this celestial being to return my affections, but when he twirled me in his arms I swallowed all the reasons I'd thought we could be friends.

"Melody...do you know where that name came from?"

The question was a weird one, but I answered it anyways.

"My mother. She used to tell me I was her miracle. She was a singer until she fell deaf, she...she told me that even though she couldn't hear music anymore that I was the sweetest melody she'd ever created," I murmured. Visions of my mother's pretty face filled my head and I sighed.

Castiel's countenance almost turned reverent as he spun with me, his fingers just barely grazing the top of my backside.

"She was beautiful, was she not?"

I frowned, confused.

"Your mother?"

I smiled instantly.

"Yes. She really was."

Castiel's blue eyes seemed to fill with something akin to adoration as he watched me in the muted, romantic light.

"Do you recognize this song?," He whispered to me.

I listened closer and tucked my palm into the crook of his neck. It sounded familiar, a tune that tugged at the outer edges of my mind, awakening fragile and broken memories. Images, quick and brief, flashed in my mind.

"I've heard it before. Did you ask the band to play it?," I asked. Castiel didn't answer right away, instead he watched me.

"I may have suggested it, yes."

"But why? You clearly didn't want to dance with me when we first arrived," I argued.

His chuckle, throaty and deep, was something I'd never heard before.

Right as he was about to respond, he stiffened and looked towards the ceiling.

"It's going to storm."

But I couldn't hear anything anymore.

I couldn't think straight- behind Castiel, dressed in a tuxedo as fine as any, was my _brother._

No.

 _He's dead._

 _I killed him._

I swallowed, took a deep breath, and made eye contact with him over Castiel's shoulder. He lifted a glass of champagne in my direction, a smirk pasted onto his lips. I blinked a couple of times hoping that he would disappear, but he didn't.

"Have you heard from Sam or Dean?"

Castiel tightened his hold on me.

"What is the matter? You are tense," He said worriedly.

"Castiel...it's _Luke._ He's across the room from us," I whispered. He turned me in his arms quickly, looking in the direction I had indicated, and shook his head.

"He is not, Melody. He was turned into a vampire, remember? You killed him," Castiel reminded me.

That was all true, yes, but if that was the case then why was he currently watching me from across the ballroom?

"He's here," I whispered. Tears filled my eyes as I watched him, sipping from his flute of champagne like he belonged here with us.

Castiel cupped my cheeks.

"Melody, look at me. Pay attention. Luke is dead. There's no way he could be here," Castiel reasoned. His voice reached my ears, but it felt like I was in a fog. I understood, but it didn't make a difference.

"Melody!"

The sharp tone of Castiel's voice shook me from my reverie and I blinked, looking up at him.

"Do you see me now?," He asked softly. I looked at him, really looked at him. His blue eyes were clouded with worry. When I looked over his shoulder to see if Luke was still there he wasn't.

"I'm sorry-I didn't-I'm sorry, Cas," I said. He sighed with relief and brought me back into the circle of his strong arms.

I couldn't shake the image of Luke from my head.

"I never wanted this life for you, Melody. I tried for years to convince myself that God had made a grave error in involving you with the Winchesters. I sincerely hoped that this time around, you would be dealt a better hand so to speak; but in the past year it has become abundantly clear that I was mistaken," Castiel said. I frowned, piling out of his embrace.

"What are you saying?"

Castiel looked towards the double doors that led into the hallway.

"I think it best if we cut this night short. I think we should check in with Sam and Dean."

I opened my mouth to argue, but he took my hand in his.

"Cas, are you ever going to stop talking to me in riddles?," I demanded as we headed for the elevator.

He glanced back at me and didn't reply.

"You have got to be the most infuriating being on the entire planet!," I said.

As soon as the elevator doors closed behind us, Castiel looked over at me. He shuffled from foot to foot before he sucked in a breath.

"I do not mean to speak to you in riddles."

I dropped the handful of my gown I was holding and turned to him.

"I'm trying _really_ hard to make things work between us. I don't want to fight with you, Cas. Life is too short!"

He had two hands buried in my hair and his lips pressed against mine in less than a second.

All worry faded from my mind as I grasped his bent elbows, sighing into his mouth. His tongue slipped between the open edges of my mouth to touch mine, and he was right.

 _He's no amateur._

 _He tastes so familiar..._

His fingers scratched at the back of my scalp as he tugged gently on my hair. I whimpered when he sucked my tongue into his mouth and caressed me. The sound seemed to spur him on, because in the next second my back was against the steel elevator wall and he had one of my thighs wrapped around his taut waist.

"Do you not recognize this feeling, Melody? When I touch you here?," Castiel whispered sexily, his fingers falling into the valley of my breasts. I sucked in a breath, opened my mouth to answer, and was interrupted by the elevator doors opening to our floor. Castiel righted me, slipping my dress back to settle around my hips. He wiped lipstick from the corners of my mouth and smiled at me as he held out a hand.

"Come."

 _Well, I was thinking about it two seconds ago..._

"Let's find Sam and Dean. I need to tell them I saw Luke. I think this spirit is out to get me," I whispered shakily.

Castiel only nodded, placing his hand on the small of my back yet again as he led me down an abandoned hallway. I wanted to ask him how he knew where to lead me, but I expected that Dean was calling to him in one way or another. As we turned a corner, we saw Sam with his hands in his hair, murmuring to Dean.

"Hey guys," I called.

Both turned, glanced away, and did a double take.

"Holy...," Dean whispered.

Sam's mouth dropped open, but he recovered well by smiling at me.

"Damn, if I'da known you cleaned up so nice I woulda hit on ya years ago," Dean said, sending that signature smirk my way. I rolled my eyes and glanced at Castiel who was watching the exchange with mixture of curiosity and contentment.

"Yeah, yeah. You ain't my type, Dean Winchester and ya well know it. What have ya got?," I asked, stepping towards Sam.

"Ectoplasm near the stairwell leading to the roof. Whoever this spirit is, it's pissed as hell," Sam said. I sighed and nodded.

"Look, why don't you two head back downstairs? We'll handle this. You look amazing, Melody. Go enjoy yourself," Dean said in a rare moment of thoughtfulness. I opened my mouth to argue, but Sam nodded in agreement.

"Go on, have fun. Take Cas with you and have a good night. We'll meet up in the morning,"

Sam said as he kissed my temple. I wanted to argue, but instead, Castiel took my hand in his.

"Let us take our leave, Melody. Come, we'll find you something to eat."

 _How did he know I was hungry?_

"How did you?-"

"I know you quite well. Let us find you some sustenance," Castiel offered softly.

 _How does he know me so well?_

I looked at Cas, watched him watch me, and sucked in a deep breath before I nodded.

"Sure, come on Cas."

He wrapped an arm around my waist, something that caused both Winchester brothers to raise their eyebrows at me, and Dean to grin like a madman.

I followed Castiel towards the elevator but he paused.

"Might I suggest an alternate version of transportation?," He asked me.

"What would you suggest?"

The world around me tipped for a moment as I tried to catch my footing. Upon looking up, I realized we were downstairs in the exact spot we'd gathered in earlier before the ball had started. I smirked.

"Castiel, I thought Dean told ya to cool it with your magic mojo," I chastised. He took a step towards me, tipped his head in a way that had my body clenching in places it shouldn't be, and teased me with a smile.

"I do not take orders from anyone, Melody. Have you not learned this yet?"

"Melody! Is this your husband?," I heard. I turned to see Lana smiling at me, wearing a gown that was _to die for._ I smiled back at her, genuinely happy to introduce her to Castiel. Before I could however, he had his hand held out before him in her direction.

"Castiel. It's lovely to meet you," He said smoothly. I smiled.

 _His human interactions are getting better and better._

She nodded her head and winked in my direction.

"Lana, and please! The pleasure is all mine. This one here was worried you wouldn't like her makeover, but look at her! She's a vision," Lana said. I felt my whole face flood with blood as what had to be the blush of the century came to life beneath my skin. Castiel turned to me, his blue eyes almost glowing in that angelic way they could, and placed his hand against my backside again.

 _Oh, Lord._

 _Literally, oh Lord._

"Yes, she is isn't she? From the moment I laid eyes on her, I've been enchanted. If you think she looks beautiful now, you should see her when she awakens from her slumber on a Sunday morning. On occasion, I've had to remind myself that she is of course human, and not an angel of the lord here to taunt me with her beauty," Castiel told her.

I thought my eyes would bug out of my head at that comment, but he didn't stop there- Castiel leaned towards me and sucked my earlobe into his mouth gently, earning a doe-eyed look from Lana.

"Look at you two, it's adorable! I wish you two the best of luck, and I hope you enjoy your honeymoon, darlin'. Come back and visit us here, alright?," She asked me.

I was dazed, confused, _Dazed and Confused._

All I could manage was a smile and a nod, before I was tearing myself out of Castiel's hold and glaring at him.

"What the hell is wrong with ya tonight? Jesus, ya got your wings in a tickle or somethin'?"

My pulse was thundering in my ears, and in the apex of my thighs.

Castiel's gaze dropped to the floor and he slowly shook his head, as if he had no idea what was going on.

"I apologize, Melody. I do not know what came over me," He said softly.

And then he had that sweet puppy dog expression on his face and I sighed.

"It's alright."

But it didn't _feel_ alright; it felt far too familiar to be normal. He felt safe, for the first time in years- normally I pushed aside any feelings in regards to Castiel because all we did was argue, but here and now he felt like an old lover.

"Dance with me again, and make it good."

His frown fell away slowly, and he took me into his capable arms and led me onto the dance floor. He was warm and hard where I was soft. I wanted to run my hands along the lines of his body, but my brain was still trying to make sense of the entire evening.

"Cas, what did you mean earlier? When you said you prayed that I would lead a different life?"

He stiffened in my arms and looked at something over my shoulder.

"This is neither the time nor the place for this conversation."

I narrowed my eyes and swore.

"What am I missing here? All night you've been acting like...well, like we _know_ each other," I said. I waited for him to respond, to deny my line of thought, to scoff at me. Instead, he pulled my body into his and wrapped a hand around the back of my neck.

"I have never been a perfect angel. I have made far too many mistakes to be considered a truly devoted celestial being, Melody. I fear I am naught but more human than angel at this point, and I do not wish to lose what little family I have left," Castiel told me softly.

My heart fell to my stomach and the knot that formed in the pit of my stomach, the knot that Dean often referred to as my 'hunch hump' grew to fruition.

"What did you do?"

"I have lied to you, Melody. However, after what we spoke about earlier, I fear I cannot any longer," Castiel sheepishly admitted. Although, his admission felt like so much _more_ than that.

"I know you. We knew one another once, in a different life," Castiel said softly.

I stopped dancing, watching him, looking for any clue as to what he was talking about.

 _This has to be a joke._

"Cas, what are you talking about?"

"You were an angel. We angered our God and you were cast down."

My mouth fell open as I tried to find the words to respond, because obviously that couldn't be true.

 _Well, I ain't hungry anymore!_

"Cas, that can't be-"

"It is true, Melody. Unfortunately I couldn't save your grace or your original vessel. For the longest of times I believed you to be lost to me forever. Yet when I discovered you with the Winchesters, I saw beneath your skin to your soul, and I knew it was you. I _knew_ it was you," Castiel said earnestly.

I shook my head, but he sighed a sigh I had heard many times- the defeated Castiel sigh that literally drove right to the heart of me.

"Why did we anger God?," I asked, trying to understand.

"Angels are not allowed to engage in lustful or romantic endeavors with one another, Melody. Unfortunately, back then, I- I wasn't in my right mind. I truly believed in being an obedient soldier of the Lord, and I had no intentions of straying from the path laid out for me."

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and tried to imagine a life in heaven with Castiel by my side; I couldn't.

"Tell me what happened."  
His blue eyes begged me to let it be, but if this angel, this _man_ who I'd imagined hated me for the last few years recognized my soul...then we had to have had something special.

"We were one. You and I, we completed a ritual that bound us together on a cellular level; humans call the bond 'soul mates.' This was not allowed in heaven, and God cast you out," He said sadly.

"Why only me? Why not you too?"  
He hesitated before answering me, and I got the sick feeling in my stomach again; something told me I already knew the answer to that.

"You let me fall, didn't you?," I whispered.

Even though this life we were discussing was nothing but a _discussion_ to me, I felt the betrayal all the way to my toes. That fragile knot in my stomach was unraveling faster than I was, leaving that sticky heartbroken feeling behind.

"It was not my intention to let you fall, Melody; I did not have a choice."

"Oh, but you had the choice to literally take over heaven like some kind of holy Hitler? Please! Tell me this, Castiel- did I love you?," I whispered.

His grip on the back of my neck tightened and he pulled me into the cavern of his body with his opposite hand.

" _Yes._ We were one. We were bound, together, forever. That bond will never cease, even if it lessens over time," Castiel said fiercely. I scoffed.

"Is that so? So, was it worth it? Did it hurt you, when you let me _fall from grace?_ "

My voice came out with more disdain than I'd intended, but the hurt- it was thrumming through my veins faster than I could control it.

I didn't have any memories to rely on, but these feelings, _familiar feelings_ were suddenly overwhelming me.

And the attachment, the consistent arguing, the dislike- it all made sense.

"You feel guilty for letting me _take the fall!_ That's why you push me away, isn't it? You hate yourself for leaving your supposed _soul mate_ to rot!," I said angrily, pulling away from him. Castiel reached towards me, but his expression said it all- I was right.

And apparently, Castiel really was my husband!

The prospect of tears were suddenly imminent, and the noise that tore from my chest was a mixture between utter disbelief and pain. I could hear the heavy soled shoes Castiel was wearing chasing behind me as I stormed from the ballroom. He was calling my name, but I didn't want to see him or speak to him.

My soul mate, huh?

As I rounded the corner, I saw my brother leaning against the wall. His dark eyes connected with my light ones and I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Hey, sis. How ya been?," Luke asked, coming towards me. I didn't want to move forward, but for some reason I couldn't stop myself from stepping towards him.

"Luke?"

"Yeah, it's me. You look beautiful," He told me with a genuine smile.

I shook my head, trying to clear it.

"You're not real."

 _It feels so real._

He chuckled and the sound resonated throughout me, making all the broken pieces inside of me shift. The sound almost brought me to my knees, but I ignored the pain and took one more step closer to him.

"Luke?," I whispered hopefully, reaching towards him.

 _He's all I have left._

He pulled me into his embrace, and he even _smelled_ like he used to; all cologne and fabric softener.

 _The memories are going to suffocate me._

"I missed ya, sis," He said into my hair. I coughed on a whimper and buried my nose in his neck.

"I missed you too," I whispered.

His hold on me tightened.

"Can we go somewhere to talk?," He asked, pulling away. His brown eyes were watery, wet, glistening in the low light.

"Of course, yes," I said.

I didn't really _want_ to follow him, but for some reason I was. In the back of my mind, I knew that he wasn't really here- but I couldn't stop myself.

 _What the hell is happening?!_

"Where have you been?," I heard myself ask.

 _That's not what I meant to say!_

 _What the fuck is goin' on?_

Instead of stopping like I wanted to I watched, horrified, as Luke led me up to the top floor of the hotel. The only staircase left at this point was the one that led to the roof. With a smile on his face, he turned to me.

"It's stuffy in here. Let's get some fresh air. The view is amazing from the roof," Luke said. I took the hand he held out to me, following behind him as we made our way onto the roof. It was dark out, but the stars seemed to be closer to me than ever before. I wanted to dwell on the fact that I used to live among those stars, with Castiel, who was probably still searching for me.

 _Soul mates._

 _Castiel is my soul husband._

True to his word, it started to rain, hard. Thick drops of water began to blanket the roof, and it was making it hard to stay upright. The slick soles of my heels were slipping all over the wet cement, making me wobble as I followed Luke to the outer edges of the roof.

"Luke, how are you here? You turned-,"

"You mean, how am I still alive after you killed me?," He sneered. His expression changed from loving to angry in a heartbeat. The guilt I felt was overwhelming, all consuming, painful. I began to cry and I didn't really want to cry but I couldn't stop myself. I reached for Luke, hoping to gain some comfort. Instead, he stepped closer to the edge of the roof.

"No! Wait, come on, Lukey. Don't do that," I heard myself beg. Whats worse is I found myself moving towards him. I tried to stop, but my feet just kept moving forward, until I was right on the edge with him.

 _Stall._

 _This ain't right._

 _Don't follow-_

"Come on, come with me, Mel!," Luke begged. I reached out for him, almost losing my footing. My heel slipped on the wet cement of the roof floor and I held my hands out to keep my balance.

 _This isn't right, Melody!_

 _Turn around!_

"Come on, Mel. Save me this time!," Luke said. Through my tears, I saw Luke slipping off the edge, and I threw my hand out to catch him. Instead of catching flesh and bone, my hand slid right through his and before I could catch myself I slipped.

 _My God._

 _The spirit got to me anyways._

Off the roof I went.


	4. Chapter 4

There are nights, much like this one, when my body has been through so much turmoil in such a short amount of time that my mind cannot cope.

 _Dead brother._

 _Soul mate._

My vision was blurry, and my breaths were coming from my mouth in short, gruff pants. The rattling sound in my chest wasn't something I hadn't heard before, and yet the sound terrified me even still.

 _Just keep breathing._

 _They'll be here._

The mantra in my head, _they'll be here,_ it didn't comfort me as the spots in my vision became larger. Sam and Dean should be far too busy to stop to wonder where their third musketeer was.

Besides, it had been _my_ idea to venture off on my own to follow my seemingly alive brother who I knew to be dead.

 _My own fucking fault._

I twitched, sending pain careening through my veins. If I wiggled my right hand, I could feel the tendons stretching across my broken skin like an accordion. There was no denying the fact that this particular fall (all of three stories and one large paned glass window) should have killed me.

Yet, here I lay, bleeding out as I have so many other times.

This time is different.

This time the emotional and mental pain I was feeling was far more exponential than ever before; and it was making it damn hard to find a focal point for all the _physical_ pain I was feeling so that I could manage it. So I could stave off the panic that was working its way well into my system as my body began to go into shock.

The smell of iron was heavy in the air, and I knew for certain that if I moved my _left_ hand, my guts would most likely literally spill from my body like some kind of metaphorical phrase.

 _Spill your guts, spill your guts, spill your guts._

The burning sensation that tugged and tingled around the edges of my frayed skin was now throbbing in time with my lowered heart rate. As I stared up at the brilliant night sky, the sounds of passing traffic and just a hint of the ballroom music beneath me became increasingly louder until they were nothing more than a buzz in my ears.

 _They'll be here, they'll be here, they'll be here._

Briefly I wondered how I'd lost my first vessel; I wondered if I'd died in much the same way...painfully and tragically and in my opinion, far too soon.

Of course, it didn't yet resonate with me that if these were my last few moments here on earth, I hadn't taken the time to appreciate the two men (and one very important angel) who were undoubtedly searching for me frantically on some level of this hotel. I hadn't stopped to tell Dean or Sam that I loved them, that I appreciated every moment we'd spent together.

That I _adored_ them as they were meant to be adored; that every single fight, case, holiday, and previously underappreciated moment or memory meant more to me than most _humans_ were able to feel.

More so because apparently, I'm a fallen angel.

Now, all of my sins seemed to dance before my eyes as my body momentarily erupted into what seemed like hellfire itself before a soothing, cool sensation drifted across my skin. I couldn't feel anything from the waist down, and the only thing I was absolutely positive of (besides the fact that I was shivering so hard my teeth were chattering) was that if I were to push my shirt aside right at that moment, I would be able to see directly into my chest.

Where my _human_ heart was barely beating.

 _They'll be here, They'll be here, they'll b-_

This was it.

I wasn't exactly sure how I knew it, maybe because I'd been dead before, maybe because when you're about to die you just fucking _know it._

My chest made a sickening garbled sound as I coughed up what was surely a disgusting amount of more ruby-red liquid, sending it spewing across the tattered edges of my beautiful, torn gown.

The ripped material was painted with even darker Crimson spots that were only growing larger by the moment.

 _Red love, true love, sticks like glue._

 _Blood._

 _There's so much fucking blood._

My eyes landed on a wavering figure moving towards me, their lean body slowly coming into focus. My gaze lingered on a familiar ring that glinted in the bright moonlight.

A face I'd come to recognize smiled tenderly at me, and I felt my body involuntarily flinch as the chattering of my teeth became more intense.

"Good evening, Melody. It's been quite a while since I've seen you," Death said softly.

I tried to incline my head in greeting, but my body wouldn't allow it.

Gingerly, Death reached out a hand towards me, and the strangest feeling overwhelmed me- separation. I was beginning to feel less and less, my body becoming lighter and lighter. That's when I realized that my spirit was almost completely out of my body and that I was literally dying.

It was then, when I was literally on the brink of death, that I felt the change in the air- the static electricity that crackled around me could only belong to _one_ person, and he was the last person I wanted to see right now.

 _Castiel._

His determined, inhuman, blue eyes landed on me quickly- I think he swore at the situation that was unfolding before his eyes, because he had his hands on me in less than a second. His gaze washed over my features in a way that could only be described as panicked as he kneeled before me.

His dress shoes slid across the glass covered ground and the noise made me want to cringe. His calloused palm reached forward, and then he pulled me towards him.

"I am going to heal you. Don't you dare take his hand."

His words held no room for argument, and this surprised me for only a moment, because when he placed his palm against my forehead I couldn't think about anything. Death himself only nodded his head in my direction before he faded from the room completely and I was left quivering in the arms of Castiel.

The pain was _blinding._

 _Otherworldly._

I felt my back arch of it's own accord, and a scream I'd never heard the likes of before tore from my chest as Castiel's steely gaze remained on my face. He cringed, murmuring something in my direction, but I couldn't hear him. The agony my body was experiencing took precedence over anything and anyone else because I was positive my body was going to split in half. I weakly wrapped a hand around his thick wrist, trying to anchor myself to this world.

"Settle your mind. It will be over soon," Castiel said gruffly.

Yet his eyes told me a different story.

They were burning with everything that hadn't been said between us, decades worth of memories that were all of a sudden coming to life behind my eyes.

Castiel's eyes worked as mirror as my reflection caught my attention; my usually completely normal _human_ eyes were glowing as blue as Castiel's did when the angel in him kicked on.

Images, as if on a reel, began to dance in my mind; moments I'd spent with Castiel many years before.

 _Kissing, laughing, making love._

 _Happiness-pure and innocent happiness._

 _ **Pain.**_

 _ **Heartbreak.**_

 _ **Loss.**_

 _ **Mourning.**_

The last thing I could coherently understand was the distinct picture of Castiel kneeling before some celestial entity, pleading.

Begging.

Crying.

But this pain we both felt was surely never going to end, and I was going to die here in the arms of someone who didn't appreciate one single cell of my previous existence as I bled out all over the floor-

It was then that I noticed that Castiel's nose was bleeding, and that there was a soft blue light coming from the palm of his hand and seeping into my skin. That part, the blue light, well that didn't hurt at all; in fact, it felt so good that for reasons unfathomable to me I began to get _aroused,_ and the moan that escaped from behind my lips was nothing short of pathetic and embarrassing.

Castiel made no comment, more than likely because he's a _true_ gentleman, but I watched him closely as my skin fused back together rapidly.

The air around us seemed to quiet, thicken, _bloom_ for a moment before all of a sudden, the entire room exploded in fiery white light. I closed my eyes against the pain that still held me captive in its clutches, and attempted to turn myself into Castiel's body.

Yet he wasn't there anymore.

I blinked a few times, fighting the urge to sleep, _just sleep_ , but Castiel was no longer anywhere to be seen.

As my frazzled mind tried to make sense of what had just happened, I heard Dean yelling my name, and the small smile that graced my features held all the adoration I felt for both of the Winchester men in its quiver.

"We're here."

 _They're here, they're here, they're here_


	5. Chapter 5

I was breathing.

Barely, but I could feel my chest rising and falling in shallow breaths that almost, _almost_ made the pain lessen. Through bleary eyes I could just make out the form of Dean, shushing me, wiping sweat away from my forehead. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but his green eyes looked worried; they looked sad.

He had the _Sad Dean_ look on his face, the one that told me nothing was alright.

I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him I would be okay, but my eyes closed against their will. I didn't feel right. I didn't feel like _me._

Heavy, _heavy_ was the air on my skin. I was sticky in places I didn't want to be sticky. It was obvious that one of the Winchesters had changed my clothes.

I was lying on something soft, but I couldn't imagine where I was.

There was a steady pounding in my head that almost soothed me back to sleep, but then my brain seemed to awaken inside of said pounding head because my eyes flew open.

I tried, with all the energy I had left, to focus on my surroundings.

Calloused hands roved over my bare skin, and I knew the voice in my ear was still Dean. It took me more than a minute to finally hear what he saying, and I tried to listen.

"Relax! Mel, calm down!," He said gruffly, taking me into his arms.

The room came into view and I recognized my bedroom in the bunker.

 _How did we get here?_

 _Where is Cas?_

"Dean," I cried, tensing as reality hit me.

 _Blood._

 _Glass._

 _Dead._

He cradled me in his hold, pulled me into his arms, and slowly rocked me.

"It's gonna be alright, Mel. Sam and me ain't gonna let nothin' else happen to ya," Dean told me. The guilt was practically dripping from every word he quietly spoke into my ear, more heartbroken ramblings from a man who'd experienced enough heartbreak.

 _But what else can happen to me?_

 _Doesn't last night take the cake?_

"I died."

Dean made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and I could feel him shaking his head.

"No, sugar. Cas saved ya."

"I saw Death. He was there. Why... _why didn't he take me?_ "

Dean stiffened against me and I took that moment to bury my face in his chest. He smelled good, familiar, _safe._

"He didn't get ya, sweetheart. You're home, you're safe. I'm sorry I didn't get to ya-," I placed a hand over his mouth and stifled the tears that threatened to surface.

"Stop. It was my fault," I whispered raggedly.

I removed myself from his hold, ran a hand through my hair, and slowly stood. The world teetered for a second and Dean caught me before my knees hit the cold floor

"Whoa there Evel Knievel, let's take it easy on the tricks alright?"

When his turbulent green eyes met mine I could see the concern lining his expressive irises.

"Dean? What happened to the spirit?"

He dropped his head, grazing my temple with his nose.

"Spirit's gone. Found 'er bones in a locker in the hotel basement, Mel. Another spiteful bitch that had been murdered, yata yata. Cas told me you saw your brother last night, sweetheart. Is that how she got to ya?," Dean asked me gently. He nudged my chin up and I sucked in a shuddering breath.

"I knew that he wasn't real, but I couldn't stop myself...the guilt was so overwhelming, Dean. I just- _fell_ ," I replied. His gaze never wavered, and I startled when I felt another hand land on my back.

"She lured guests to that roof by showin' them exactly who they wanted to see, sweetheart. Don't feel bad, she was manipulatin' ya the best way she knew how."

Sam's worried stare met mine and I ducked my head.

"It's happened to the best of us, don't worry. How ya feelin'?"

I shrugged, crossing my arms across my chest.

"I _feel_ like I got run over by a MAC truck ten times. Have you two heard from Cas?," I asked.

I risked a glance in Sam's direction and by the bleak expression on his face, I could tell that they had.

Also, it would appear that they'd hear the truth from him as well.

"Yeah, he uh- well...Cas, uh-,"

"He's gone."

The finality in Dean's voice was so, well, _final._

"What do you mean?"

Dean wrapped an arm around my shoulders and tucked me into his side (something I'd learned was a tactic Dean thought he needed to enforce to keep me from shutting him out, and he always had the best timing) with his free hand lingering at his side. Sammy's hazel eyes softened when they landed on me, and for a moment I thought they were joking. Castiel wouldn't just _leave_ after last night would he? I'd practically died right there in his traitorous, strong, _muscular-_

"Melody, we're really sorry. He said he needed to go, and poof! He disappeared," Sam said.

My eyes closed for a second, and for the life of me (whatever was left, honestly) I could not fathom as to why Castiel would just leave me _again._

"So Castiel, the angel who has been by our side for the last however many years drops a doozy of an atom bomb on me last night, and now he won't answer our calls? He's gone, on the lamb, limbo-lurkin' somewhere unknown?," I asked.

Dean cleared his throat and nodded.

"Yeah, baby. That's the way of it."

I let that sink in; the truth was quite a bitter pill to swallow.

My knees felt weaker by the second, but that didn't matter.

None of this bullshit _mattered_ ; my 'husband' was gone.

I couldn't even remember what it felt like to _love_ him, but my heart was perfectly aware of the hole he'd left behind.

It felt like my soul was spread too thin inside of me- like I was being pulled in every direction all at once, like my body was coiled too tightly and at any moment I was just going to _snap._

"There's uh, one more tiny detail we haven't told ya," Sam said hesitantly.

I sat down on the edge and mistakenly threw myself backwards. I groaned as my head began to pound once more.

 _Relax._

"You ain't human no more," Dean told me. I peeked my eyes open and glared at him.

"What the _fuck-,"_

 _That holy-huffin', no good, lyin', two-faced, son of a bi-_

"Cas had to give ya some of his grace to save ya, sugar. Well, a lot of it actually. When we say ya had a close call, we mean one _big_ son-of-a-bitch-"

The clearing of Sam's throat had Dean clamping his full mouth closed in an adorable pout before he nodded.

"Right. Cas basically split himself in half _spiritually speaking,_ of course to make sure you had enough life force in ya to heal, Mel. Your guy's' connection- weird heavenly nuptials? Well, those are back in order and binding," Dean said cheekily.

I covered my face in my hands.

"What does that mean?"

"You and Cas are _technically_ married in the eyes of heaven again-,"

"Tell him I want it annulled," I said drolly.

Sam snorted and I shot him a glare. He held his hands up in defense.

"We didn't make this decision, Cas did. The way he explained it, well in the eyes of whatever heavenly God there is you two are now a united front. Paired. Two halves of one celestial whole that was _obviously_ sent here to annoy the ever-loving-"

"Dean! I get it. Damn, you're a crab ass today. Castiel and I are now a divine duo and  
I can't escape him even if I wanted to, which I _do_ just so all of us are clear because to be quite honest I don't want such a coward as my husband," I snapped.

I looked up at both Winchester brothers who were now watching me

"Well, I see that smart mouth of yours survived the fall- good to know. How are you doin', _really?_ ," Sam asked me.

I remembered how I felt lying in a pool of my own blood, broken and alone...

"Really? I _almost_ feel like it would have been better to follow Death out of that hotel and into oblivion. But I'm not supposed to say that, am I? I feel like the one person out of literally anyone in this life or apparently any other, who is supposed to care about me, has flown the coop and he didn't even have the decency to leave me a road map to where he was headed!," I ranted.

Dean laid a soothing hand on my thigh and squeezed.

"Why can't I get a divorce?," I whined.

Sam raised his eyebrows.

"Heaven approving a divorce? Kind of goes against the sanctity of the act, don't ya think?"

"Dean, there's gotta be a loophole, here! I didn't say yes to this."

Sam inclined his head in my direction.

"Technically, in your previous life, you _did_. Even though you're occupying a different vessel this time, your _true form_ remains the same...and your true form is already 'mated' to Castiel. He's yours no matter what lifetime you're living," Sam said.

The growl that came from my mouth practically shook the bed.

"Dude, your eyes!," Dean said excitedly.

He leaned forward and when I realized he was going to try and poke me directly in my cornea, I smacked his hand away.

"So what? I'm an angel again? Castiel turned me into a _fuckin'_ angel again?!," I cried.

Sam shrugged and from the way he was frowning, I realized that's _exactly_ what had happened.

"I'm not even _holy!_ I'm an ass!," I groaned, rolling onto my side.

I heard both brothers chuckle behind me and I sat up slowly trying to keep the dizziness at bay.

"If I'm all wings and halos, why do I still feel like shit? And where are my fluffy, sexy- _Oh my God!_ ," I whispered.

Dean and Sam both leaned closer to me, talking over one another in their haste to see what was wrong.

A grin overtook my face that was threatening to split my cheeks.

"Does this mean my secret life long wish of becoming a Victoria's Secret angel is finally comin' true?!," I asked with a belly laugh.

 _Shit, my head is still pounding, ugh._

 _Too soon for humor, Melody._

I pressed a hand to my forehead and winced.

"That is something we can't quite figure out- why you still feel like shit, not that last part," Sam told me with a soft kiss to my temple.

"Although, if ya wanna use those flirty feathers in your own version of a lingerie fashion show-"

" _Dean._ She's married!," Sam snapped.

I rolled my eyes and giggled.

"I'm just sayin' Sammy, think of the money she could make with that strip show under her belt! She could use some sexy name like _Heavenly Hottie,_ or damn even _Holy Hottie-"_

Sam promptly smacked the back of Dean's head and he shut up.

With a glare, he rubbed the back of his head and turned to face me again.

 _Gotta love these nutcrackers, always so gentle with me._

 _Except for that one time Dean stole my favorite bra and I literally had to wrestle it off of him-_

"Melody, you realize that now you can literally go anywhere in the world with just a flick of your fingers? You can even head home to heaven," Dean said sadly.

I glanced at him and hated the vulnerability I saw there. I took his large hand into mine and shook my head.

Took me a moment to get him to look at me, but when a gentle nudge to his chin, he finally did.

"Given the opportunity, I still choose here. I still choose _you._ "

I looked at Sam too, just so both of them knew I meant it.

Neither one said anything more, no, Dean just pulled me close to him while Sam turned on the TV behind him. I sighed with relief when both brothers laid out on either side of me and huddled near me until I fell back to sleep.

 _Sleep._

 _It feels so good to sleep..._

 _Heavenly Hottie?_

 _Really?_


	6. Chapter 6

The ache never eased.

Sure, our days grew longer and my patience for pretty much anything grew shorter. Being that I was an angel again I fully expected that the pain my body was agonizing through would lessen.

 _So not the case._

In fact, at this point it was so bad I was considering buying a potion or a spell off of one these witches we were currently desperately trying to gank.

Dean was growling at me constantly to see a doctor, but no matter what I did this tightening in my joints never ceased.

 _It's not that easy..._

It felt like someone had inserted a crank into my spine and every so often they would turn it and turn it and turn it.

Honestly, the pain was near _crippling_ at some points, but that was nothing compared to the loss I felt all the way to the tips of my wings (which had finally grown in, by the by.)

"Melody, how ya doin'?," Dean asked me.

I looked around the abandoned root cellar with disdain.

"Could be better."

"I meant how's the whole _spine-crackin'_ pain, sugar."

I sighed.

"I'm ready to pay one of these broads to fix me."

Dean's sad gaze swept over me, pinning me to the very spot I stood in. I could practically taste everything he wanted to say on my tongue at that moment. I wrapped a cold hand around one of his and squeezed.

"Alright well hang in there. I want you to head back to the bunker and get some rest, alright? Sammy and I got this," Dean said.

I stiffened.

I opened my mouth to argue, but Dean shook his head and I knew the decision had been made.

"I'll make some food for you two," I said softly.

I dropped my head, rolled my shoulders in an effort to release some of the brewing tension I felt, but to no avail.

I could see the disappointment in Dean's eyes. I knew how hard it was for him to see me this way, slowly falling apart.

I tried very hard to keep this side of myself quiet; I didn't want him or Sam to worry any more than they already did, but sometimes at night Dean would catch me crying.

In the faint moonlight he would pad barefoot into my bedroom and take me into his arms and soothe me with his gruff voice and gentle touch.

Sometimes I wished more than anything that I could be human again and that this entire situation was nothing but a dream.

Sometimes I wished I could forget about Castiel completely and find another man to capture my heart, but it was useless.

 _Wasting away_ , is what Sam had called it.

He told me I was wasting away with every day that I stifled my feelings and pushed them deeper inside of me.

Yet I was trying. I tried so hard on some days that it left me feeling worse than if I'd have never rolled out of bed in the first place.

All I could think about was Castiel, Castiel, _Castiel_.

I'd been hunting him non stop, but here on earth there were no leads and Dean and Sam agreed with me that a trip to heaven was out of the picture. Why would I go back to heaven? They'd kicked me out in the first place.

It was just too risky.

I doubted very seriously if they would simply welcome me back with open arms, even if I didn't remember my past sins.

"Don't forget the pie," Dean said softly.

But I knew what he was saying, with his honest green eyes.

"Yeah, I love you too. Be safe. Pray if ya need me."

It still dizzied me to teleport, even though I'd been doing it for weeks now. At first I wasn't very good at it...but after accidentally walking in on Sammy while he was exiting the shower, I quickly realized I needed to apply myself...better.

Now it was like I'd never stopped doing it.

And we didn't have any naked-Sammy-mishaps anymore, which was a plus. Not that the view wasn't spectacular, but hey, married folk gotta stay loyal if you catch my drift.

 _Loyal._

 _As if my 'husband' knew the meaning of the word._

The bunker was dark, quiet.

 _Lonely._

I headed towards the kitchen, silently ticking off the ingredients I would need in my head as I rounded the corner, contemplating whether or not I thought Dean and Sam would be home tonight. The likelihood of that was low if at all, so I figured taking my time would be alright.

Scouring the cabinets, I finally found the bottle of wine Sam bought for me just two days ago. Telling myself I would save it for a happier time, I hid it from Dean because Lord knows he'll drink anything labeled alcoholic. With a grin I filled a glass to the top and began to sip, preheating the oven in the process. With nary a flick of my fingers the radio was on, playing some slow CD that was definitely Sammy's. The music was a little too romantic for my tastes, but Sam was a diehard romantic at heart and I sure did love that about him.

He's the one who always pushes me to have faith in Cas.

 _Faith._

 _Ironic._

 _Castiel._

Yet it had been weeks, almost two months since any of us had even heard from Castiel. I was slowly healing, our bond fading with each passing day. It felt like I was going through withdrawal; secretly, I knew that was why I felt the way that I did. Dean pushed me to see a doctor, but a doctor couldn't heal me. The only person who could ease this deep ache inside of me, was Castiel.

And it made sense to me.

He literally implanted his life force inside of me, a bond none of us fully understood. It only made sense that the growing distance between him and I would have some rather harsh consequences.

 _I love him._

I did love him.

I loved him.

From the first day I'd awoken as an angel, I dreamt of him. Memories I think, because they were far too detailed and intimate to be dreams. Every time I woke up, I felt the loss of a love I never got to experience, _really experience_ all over again. All I had were memories, memories that left me feeling gutted and hollow. My substance was literally absent from my life now, and it occurred to me that I wasn't the only one remembering these things either. My memories and misery had to be bleeding into Cas's head the same way they were mine because of our connection and that thought made me so fucking happy it nearly keeled me over.

He'd feel me.

He'd miss me.

One of these days, when the timing was right, he'd come back to me.

How could he not?

The memories that flooded my mind were definitely of the intense variety, and if Castiel was half as soft as I knew him to be, then he would find his way back here.

I just sincerely hoped that I would still want him when he finally did return.

Turning my focus to the plethora of ingredients now lining the counter, I refilled my glass and took a deep breath.

The alcohol dulled my senses in a wonderful way, making the pain nothing more than a numbing pulse in the back of my mind. Time ticked by slowly as my hands worked, mixing and fluffing and rolling and baking. Finally, when my pies were complete, I shoved them into the oven.

I was just finishing a thorough wipedown of the counter tops when a loud banging sound startled me back into the present. I dropped my glass onto the counter, slid my angel blade from the leather of my boot, and followed the continuous noise down the hallway that led to the library.

I didn't need to turn on the light in the library but I did, and the sight of a crumpled form on the floor had me pausing.

That is, until I realized it was _Castiel._

Dropping my blade, I ran to him.

His blue eyes opened and for a brief moment he tried to smile, but through the caked blood on his face I could barely see it.

"Cas! Shit, what the hell happened?," I asked, pressing my palms to his forehead. He wrapped a shaking hand around my thigh and his grip was weak.

"You look sensational," He whispered as I began to heal him.

Through our touch I could feel that gnawing ache in my gut start to dissipate, and judging by the way his shoulders began to sag, he was feeling better also. His eyes fluttered closed and as soon as I knew that he was healed, I moved to my knees and wrapped an arm under his shoulders to help him up.

"Do you still hurt? Do you feel better?," I whispered frantically.

Castiel simply shook his head and pressed an open palm to my cheek gently. Trying not to lean into his touch, I took a step back.

He was still wearing the tuxedo from our 'honeymoon,' if you could call it that. His white shirt was soaked and stained with dark bloody spots, and it was completely open. The pants he was wearing were torn at the knees, and sliced open in other places. His bowtie was missing altogether, and from the look on his face I could tell it was a long story.

"Where have you been?," I finally asked.

The urge to touch him was building by the second, so I tucked my hands into my pockets and waited for him to answer. His gaze darkened, and with a hesitant nod of his head he looked at his dirty dress shoes.

"I was receiving my just punishment. In Heaven."

I felt my mouth drop open, and the guilt I felt at all of the terrible things I'd said and thought made me freeze. I blinked a couple of times, trying to find the right words to say.

"Your...punishment?"

Castiel's intense eyes landed on me.

"You do not think I would leave you of my own free volition?"

I didn't respond, and he took a step closer to me.

"That's precisely what you thought, little angel?," His gravelly voice asked. I winced at the remembered endearment and hung my head.

"Yes."

My chest began to heave as the tears began to fall, but fuck, I couldn't stop them. Seeing him alive and here was _everything_ I'd hoped for over these last months.

"Do not cry. Please. I do not deserve your tears."

I scoffed.

"You were punished because of me weren't you?," I asked. He nodded once.

"Yes. Heaven was not very pleased that I reinstated the bond that caused you to fall in the first place, but I paid my penance. We are free to do as we please now," Castiel cajoled.

I rolled my eyes and gestured towards him wildly.

"So what, you paid with your pound of flesh and that's just it? I'm supposed to take that as it is and forget about it?," I asked forlornly.

The hurt I felt knowing that I'd been down here on earth _angry_ with him because he was gone while he was being tortured was _torture._

 _I'm awful._

 _I don't deserve him._

I covered my face with my hands, shaking silently as the tears overwhelmed me.

How very selfish of me, to be angry with him- I knew, I _knew_ him. I knew that he wouldn't ever hurt me intentionally and I'd been acting like he would.

Like he would willingly leave me down here when we were two pieces of the same soul.

When we were two halves of one whole.

I felt Castiel's hand gently touch my shoulder and I tore myself away from him.

"Stop! Just- _don't._ I don't deserve for _you_ to touch _me._ I thought- I hated you for a while. I thought you'd left me Cas, and I _hated_ you!," I cried.

His blue eyes came into view when he yanked my hands away from my face and planted them against his bare, muscular chest.

"Do you think me completely innocent, little angel? Do you think I did not completely loathe myself, knowing that I left you down here unprotected for _years?_ I thought I was doing the right thing, giving you a chance to perhaps live a normal life! I may have kept an eye on you, but I was not by your side as I should have been. _As I wanted to be,"_ Castiel said heatedly.

My eyes were cast downward and with a surprising tug on my hands, Castiel had my eyes locked on his.

"I took my punishment as I deserved. Do not question your doubt, your hatred; I accept it all, as it was meant for me."

I felt my lower lip quiver as I searched his eyes. Castiel shook his head roughly and dropped my hands. I watched him step away from me and run a hand through his thick hair, leaving the strands askew. I could feel his agony through our bond, and the volatile feeling had my chest heaving again.

"I wouldn't wish that on you, Cas. You have to know that!," I argued.

He turned to face me so quickly he blurred, and then he had my cheeks cupped in his calloused hands.

His eyes burned into mine, glistening and blue.

"Of course I know that! Do you have any idea the atrocities I've committed since you left, little angel? I've killed _thousands_ of our kind, all in the name of the Lord! I have not led a holy life, not a truly holy one anyway. I feel as if...," His voice trailed off to a whisper as he silently implored me to forgive him even as he condemned himself.

"I feel as if all of these centuries apart were naught but a waste, for I have let you down. I have hurt you by not being by your side, and I _should_ have been. For all the reasons I have rebelled, you should have been the first; the truest," Castiel breathed.

I shook my head but he tugged on the strands of hair at the nape of my neck, jerking my attention back to him.

"Tell me you can forgive me. Say that you'll have me, little angel. I may not be the wisest of angels, or even the kindest, but you have me. Vessel and soul, _you have me_ ," Castiel said raggedly.

His blue eyes were alight with yearning, practically glowing with his eager request of forgiveness.

Could I forgive him?

Could I forgive him knowing that he willingly left me down here, alone, for centuries?


	7. Chapter 7

I hadn't said a word in a long time; I swallowed audibly instead and took a shuddering breath. But I had some questions.

"I feel better physically now that you're here. Is that the way it will always be?"

He nodded his dark head.

"We are one soul now. The longer we are apart, the worse it shall hurt. It is comparable to me removing one of your limbs. If it is disconnected from the body for too long, it begins to decay. Our relationship works very much in the same way," He said.

"And you said...are you free, Castiel? To be here?"

 _To be with me?_

He nodded his head again.

"I have paid my dues, as you would say."

"Did you miss me, as I missed you?," I heard myself ask. My face crumpled, and I knew that tears were imminent, so I turned my head away from him. Quickly, I swiped at my eyes.

I looked everywhere but at Castiel until he dropped his hands and I suddenly missed his warmth.

"I have ruined us _again,"_ Castiel said, his voice filled with self-loathing. He made to leave the room, his fingers pressed together as if in the next instant their friction would send him far, far away from me.

"Stop. Don't you _dare_ move."

His surprised eyes met mine and I ran a hand through my hair.

"You don't get to walk out on me for a third time, Castiel. If you leave me this time, it's because you want to, and for no other reason," I told him directly.

His eyebrows pulled together in that way that they do when he's thinking, and I fought a frown. When he didn't say anything, I turned to leave, but his gruff voice stopped me.

"Are you-does this mean that we are one again?"

"Only if you want to be, Castiel."

He moved so quickly it spurred the hair against my neck into moving, flowing in the soft breeze he created.

"I want nothing else more than I want to be one...with you," He whispered hotly into my ear, sweeping said hair away from my neck and replacing it with his mouth. I gasped out loud and I could feel his satisfied smirk against my sensitive skin. It sent a shiver down my spine, but he didn't stop there. No, much like at the ball, he sucked the nearest earlobe into his mouth and the heat it brought to life between my thighs had me whispering his name.

"When I was in heaven receiving my punishment I was assaulted by the memories you regained. They played in my mind like a tortuous loop, taunting me, Melody. Don't hide yourself from me, I beg of you," Castiel murmured gently as one of his large hands slid forward across my abdomen.

The gesture triggered all kinds of feelings; it was intimate, familiar, and above all else- _sexy._

It was altogether too sexy for me not to take notice, especially when his deep, husky voice was whispering naughty things in my ear.

"Don't deny how much you ache for me to touch you like this. I could not bear it," He whispered, his breath skating across the shell of my ear like it belonged there. His hand slid lower still, below the waist of my jeans, nearing the purple lace panties I was wearing.

I was practically panting now, and I could feel his hard cock through the thin material of my shirt resting at the bottom of my spine.

"Tell me you want me too, little angel. I need to hear the words come from those delectable lips," Castiel pleaded.

 _That's it._

Thrusting my ass backwards into him, I arched my back and used my hand to slide his fingers closer to what he was searching for.

His grip on my waist tightened to the point of almost pain, but his teeth were scraping across the tender skin just below my ear and all I could think about was him buried deep inside of me.

 _Yes, yes, yes._

"I need you, please, _please,_ Castiel."

He turned me in his arms so fast I could have fallen, but he wrapped his arms around me again. My knees were weak, my breathing was shallow, and it felt like thick syrup was moving through my veins when he dipped his head and kissed me.

 _Home._

 _He's home._

 _He's_ _ **my**_ _home._

I wanted to tell Castiel I loved him, that I forgave him, but he made it impossible to do anything other than kiss him back.

And man, could he kiss.

This was different than our pretend kissing at the Luna, it was purely carnal. His tongue swept into my mouth like he owned me, and maybe he did. Maybe he did own me, because as he kissed me, my body came to life like it hadn't in _years._ My blood was happily thrumming through my veins, practically singing along the way as it pooled directly between my thighs.

"You feel fuckin' great," I heard myself whisper, and from the way he growled in the back of his throat, he felt the same.

His hands gripped the bottom of my shirt and he tugged it up and over my head so fast that I lost my breath, but he breathed it back into me when he pressed his mouth to mine. My hands were hurriedly trying to unbutton the pants he was wearing, and when I caught him pressing his fingers together as if to snap them out of the corner of my eye, I stopped him.

"Let me undress you, Castiel. Let me feel you."

Those baby blues swept over my half-naked form like they would a holy relic as his shaking palms gently cupped my breasts. The pads of his thumbs slid across my sensitive nipples and the sound that crawled up the back of my throat was almost pathetic but he made no note of it as he dipped his dark head forward and tugged one into his mouth with his teeth. Through heavy-lidded eyes I watched as his other hand traveled down the front of my abdomen only to unbutton my pants. When he tried and failed to successfully remove them, he snapped his fingers together and suddenly they were gone and his fingers were buried inside of me. I gasped, whispered his name in a way I'd done a million times in my memories, and his tongue swept into my mouth as he pressed his lips against mine.

I wanted to tell him to slow down, that we should take our time, but the desire I felt was literally all consuming. It was like liquid heat searing through my insides. His gaze pierced through me as he lifted shaking hands to my cheeks, tenderly teasing the edges of my lips with his tongue.

"May I fill this ache inside of me now, little angel? I want to take my time relearning all of your beautiful curves, but the hunger I feel to own every inch of your soft skin will surely be my undoing," Castiel said finally.

I only nodded, accepting the dizzying kiss he offered to me as he lifted me into his arms and carried me towards my bedroom. His soft wings wrapped around me like an outer shell, and the wispy feathers were a home I recognized.

"Why do you smile so?"

I kissed one of his stray feathers and then kissed his chin.

"I've missed you, Cas."

His expression, usually stony and oh-so-serious, was open and inviting.

"I have yearned for you for centuries," Castiel admitted. He eyes flickered over every shadow lining my face; his gentle touch followed his eyes as he caressed me.

His words brought out emotions that I hadn't realized I could feel. And as my bare back his the mattress of my bed, his unruly hair fell forward into my face. I tugged on the curly strands and spread my thighs wider so he could settle between them. He was naked now and I wondered how in the world that had happened, but his mouth on the skin of my neck stopped my train of thought.

When Castiel braced his arms on either side of my bed and slid into me, I wrapped my thighs around his waist appreciatively.

My breath left me completely as he began to move, sending my desire to new heights. He had me pressed into the mattress, taking all of him inside of me like there was no tomorrow for either one of us.

"I need you _here_ ," Castiel said, lifting me into his arms so that my ass sat on the edge of the bed and he was buried inside of me to the hilt. The new angle caused him to rub against my clit and g-spot in just the right way, making me suck in a breath and tighten my hold on him. Clasping my fingers together behind his neck, I kissed him, sweeping my tongue into his mouth. He grasped my ass in his hands, speeding up his thrusts. I couldn't help the moaning that was coming from my mouth, or the incoherent babbling I was doing.

Castiel didn't seem to mind, and from the way his thrusts sped up, he liked the things I was saying to him.

"I missed you, husband," I breathed into his ear.

The growl in the back of his throat was nothing short of primal as he slammed into me so hard it should have hurt me, but instead I felt immense pleasure.

"Fuck yes, yes, yes," I chanted, wrapping my arms around his neck and sucking his tongue into my mouth. His face was set in a stern, determined expression.

"I want you to come for me, little angel," Castiel demanded, dragging two fingers down towards my clit. His touch was perfect, electrifying, as my eyes rolled back from the sheer pleasure coursing through my body like a tidal wave. From my toes to my wings, my entire body lit up like that gas station Christmas tree Dean bought last year, and I pressed my mouth to Castiel's as he stiffened against me, his breath leaving his mouth in a contented huff.

"I love you," I whispered

His blue eyes met mine, and he smoothed the hair away from my sweaty face as he took a deep breath.

"What we have is far deeper than love, little angel."

I smiled, leaning my forehead against his, as I tried to regather my thoughts.

"Do you smell something burning?"

My eyes flew open as the image of two perfect, delicious pies filled my head.

"I forgot about the pies!," I cried, stumbling out of my bed. I ran into the kitchen, fully intending to remove the burning morsels from the stove. I rounded the corner, slid on the oven mitts as fast as I could, and bent down to take the apple and blueberry pies from the blistering heat that was burning them. I sighed with relief when I saw that they were just _barely_ overcooked, both glistening with perfectly browned crusts and smelling damn near divine. I blew the hair out of my face and laughed at myself.

"I'd hate to say you're a sight for sore eyes, sweetheart, because I've wondered what you looked like naked for nearly half a decade now...but why the hell are you runnin' around the bunker in your birthday suit?," I heard.

I jumped, squealed, and turned to see Sam and Dean staring at me with wide, surprised eyes. I felt a blush creep up and over my cheeks before both men turned to look at a barely dressed Castiel standing in the hallway next to me. I hurriedly snapped my fingers and a blanket appeared around my naked form, covering all my lady-goodies. Dean and Sam looked at each other, using that annoying Winchester telepathy that drove me to near insanity, before Dean stomped towards Castiel and hugged him tightly to his slightly shaking form. From where I stood I could feel the love they shared, the friendship that neither one would ever _really_ turn their backs on.

"It's good to see you home," Dea said gruffly.

Castiel's eyes found mine in the darkness, and between their steady breathing and the soft music that was still playing in the background, I heard him say, "I have missed my home."

There was no denying what he was implying, that _I_ was his home; there was also no denying that he was _my_ home.

Sam snorted and gestured to me.

"Nice ass, by the way."

My mouth fell open, and I sucked in a breath to answer, when Dean's reply stopped me.

"I thought her tits were great, too."

His saucy wink had me groaning and Castiel pressing two fingers to his forehead instantly. Dean fell to the floor unconscious, and both Sam and I watched in awe as Castiel stepped over him and pressed a kiss to my lips.

"He won't be pondering your nudity any longer, wife."

I snapped my lips together and Sam started to laugh.

"What did you do?"

"I may have-uh, well I filled his head with the most _unseemly_ pizza man video's I've come across," Castiel said with a quirk of a smile.

I began to laugh, really laugh, when Sam glanced back at Dean.

"Lesson learned; no pondering your nudity, Mel."

I wrapped my arms around Cas's neck and smiled.

"What do ya say we go ponder each other's nudity again?"

Castiel winked at me.

"After you, wife."


	8. Chapter 8

There's something about an ending that's not _really_ an ending. Some things should never be left unsettled, and some things should be left just as they are.

Our family was one of those things that should be left just as it is.

"Hellion, I swear," Dean muttered. But his reprimand was accompanied by a grin I recognized, and one that I coveted.

"I love ya too, old man," I spat as I adjusted my body on the couch.

On my right sat Dean and Sam; to my left, Cas.

Dean had one of my small feet in his hands while his nimble thumbs worked the arch like it was his Baby.

Sam had his arm tucked around the back of the couch, his long fingers tucked into the strands of hair at the back of my head.

And Cas?

Well, he had one arm resting on the armrest next to him, and his other hand resting on my rounded belly.

"Are you feeling ill?"

I rolled my eyes in Castiel's direction, though he knew I wasn't really annoyed.

"Yes, my sweet man. I am fine. Now, are we gonna watch this movie, or what?," I asked.

Dean tsked and squeezed my foot.

"Sam, press play on the remote."

The television screen went black and suddenly the title popped up. When I read the title, I groaned.

"Dean! You said I would never have to watch another stupid movie!"

Dean chuckled.

" _Rambo_ is not stupid!"

I scoffed and Castiel leaned forward to nibble on my earlobe.

"If you watch this movie with Dean, you shall be justly rewarded."

Dean groaned this time, and Sam smirked.

"Ew, Cas. I thought we talked about a little thing called subtlety?," Dean asked.

Castiel smirked in his direction.

"I have lived for centuries, Dean. Melody is my mate. When you find yours, you too shall have to remind yourself to be subtle."

Dean green eyes seemed cloudy at this, but instead of saying anything, he simply turned the volume up on the remote.

I wrapped my free hand around his arm and moved his hand to rest on my belly.

"I know you're havin' a tough time right now, Dean. But when you're feelin' low, just remember that we're your family. And we will _always_ love you," I reminded him as the Mark of Cain caught my eye.

We were always going to face challenges together; but that was the key word: together.

"Did you feel that?"

I peeked up at Castiel and nodded.

"Our _little angel_ has been kickin' up a storm."

Sam's large hand came forward, as well as Dean's, and suddenly I had three man hands on my belly hump.

"Who woulda thought a little baby could change so much?," Sam whispered thoughtfully. I smiled.

"Yeah...who woulda thought?"

As Sylvester Stallone came onto the screen, Dean turned to face the TV excitedly, leaving Castiel and I smiling goofily at him.

Family.

All we really needed, was family.

THE END


End file.
